Excavating system



Oct. 11, 1932. G. L. LILLARD EXCAVATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 11, 1932. G. L. LILLARD 1,881,743

EXCAVATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 11.11929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Io k g q (0 Oct. 11, 1932. G L LlLLARD 1,881,743

EXCAVATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 11, 1932. G. LlLLARD 1,881,743

EXCAVATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet- 4 Iy, I 0

Oct. 11, 1932. G LlLLARD 1,881,743

EXCAVATING SYS TEEM Filed Oct. 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [/VVE/VTOR. W

m M, LA? w W ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITE!) STATES PATENToFF C GWYNN I. LILLARD, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, 'ASSIGNOR TO HARNISCHFEGER CORPO- RATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN EXCAVATING SYSTEM Application filed October 11, 1929. Serial N 0. 398,837.

This invention relates to an excavating sys-' tem or apparatus especially designed and adapted for use in constructing levees although also capable of advantageous use in connection with other excavating or earth handling projects. V

The necessity of constructing appropriate levees to protect the flood areas of certain rivers has raised a very serious problem,

, especially in view of the vast quantities of earth that must be excavated and handled to build levees of appropriate size throughout the extensive flood areas of certain rivers. Various expedients have been suggested but 2 prior to the present invention none have been found adequate to cope with the problem.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a system or apparatus of the character mentioned which combines continuous and speedy excavating or digging on a large scale at the borrow pit (from which the earthis taken) with eflicient and expeditious handling or transferring of the earth so excavated whereb the dirt or earth 5 taken from the borrow pit is built up into and practical manner.

A further object is to provide an excavating apparatus or system adapted for th s purpose and yet readily mobile so that it can progress along the river as the levee is built. 1 a

In carrying out the present invention any ordinary'excavating means may be used for digging. Thus, a clam shell, drag line power shovel, or the like, may be employed but usually a drag line is utilized. The dra line stands on the unexcavated area although its drag line bucket operates in the borrow pit or area to be excavated. The levee to be constructed is spaced backwardly from the river edge of the borrowpit a substantial distance and for transferring theearth excavated from the borrowpit to the location on which the levee is to be formed, wheeled car more, such as crawler wagons, are provided. One end of each crawler wagon is connected to a haul-back cable which extends to the drum of a haul-back hoist mounted on skids on the river side of the borrow pit and suite.- bly anchored in place when excavating an particular area. The other end of each crawler wagon is connected to one end of a haul-in cable extending up over pulleys on the upper and outer end of the boom of a power crane and then down to and around a highspeed drum driven by the power lant of the crane. The outer endof the of the crane is maintained at an appropriate elevation and the boom and crane have the desired stability imparted thereto by means of an adjustable strut or stifi' leg, the up 1 end of which is connected to the outer end fi the boom in supporting relation theretc and the lower end of which rests on a suitable mat or base. On the outer and upper end or" the boom an operators cab is provided and contains the controlling levers for the instrumentalities of the crane, these controlling levers being connected by suitable motion transmission means to control devices ordinarily provided on the I crane. With this organization the digging is not dependent in any way and is not slowed up by the hauling of the earth from the borrow pit to the levee site. Continuous digging ma be our ried on especially as a plurality o crawler wagons are provided so that as one crawler wagon is being hauled in to the levee site the other is being loaded by the excavator;

While various types of movable carriers may be provided for transferring the earth from the borrow pit to the levee site, preferably the movable carrier has its body mounted on a frame carried by free running endless treads or self laying tracks. The body of the wagon has the usual sides but one end thereof is open. A sliding gate normally closes the other end thereof and is so connected to the haul-back cable and haul-in cables and otherwise so controlled that when the crawler wagon reaches the location on the levee site at which the dirt is to be discharged the haul-back and haul-in cables may be utilized to move the sliding gate toward the open end of the wagon to discharge the earth from the wagon and thereafter to return the gate to its normal position. Each flexible tread has an independent brake, so that by applying the brake on one side or to one tread and thereby holding such flexible tread stationary or retardin the movement thereof while the other trea is left free running, the crawler wagons may be individually steered.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating diagrammatically an excavating system embodying the present invention; I

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the system in side elevation; I

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing the crane and its adjustable stifi' leg employed for hauling wheel carriers to the levee site;

will

on line 1010 of Figure 9. r

tional drag line excavator.

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation illustrating the adjustable stiff leg and the operators cab.

Figure 5 is a view in top plan illustrating one of the wheeled carriers or crawler wagons employed for transferring the earth from the borrow pit to the levee site;

Figure 6 is a view of the crawler wagon in side elevation;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the reeving of the haul-back and haul-in cables on the crawler wagons;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation showing the foot pedals and associated mechanism employed for independently operating the brakes;

Figure 9 is a view in longitudinal vertical section and partly in side elevation showing how each foot pedal is connected to its brake; and

FigurelO is a detail jview'in section taken Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the excavating system embodying the present invention proposes generally a suitable excavator 1 which may be of any suitable type although illustrated as a conven- The truck of the excavator stands on unexcavated ground but by virtue of its boom, the dragline bucket thereof takes the earth from the excavated area or what is known las the borrow pit.

, After any particular areahas been excavated tc the desired extent, the excavator 1 is moved away from the excavated area so that the excavation may progress as desired.

The earth taken from the borrow pit is utilized to build up a levee at a substantial distance from the land side of the borrow pit and for the purpose of transferring the excavated earth from the borrow pit to the levee site wheeled carriers such as crawler wagons designated generally at 2 are provided. Preferably, a plurality of crawler wagons 2 are utilized, two being shown. The crawler wagons 2.are of identical construction and will be described more in detail hereinafter. Atone end each crawler wagon is connected to one end of a haul-in cable 3 and at its other end each crawler wagon is connected to one end of a haul-back cable 4. The haul-in cables 3 extend over suitable guide pulleys 5 provided at the upper and outer end of the boom 6 of a crane designated generally at 7. After passing over the pulleys 5, the cables 3 extend down to and around high speed drums 8 mounted on the revolving platform of the crane and driven from the power plant thereof in a conventional manner, as will be hereinafter more fully described. In order to impart stability to the crane and also to reinforce the boom, the outer end of the boom is supported by an adjustable spud or stifl' leg designated generally at 10.

The end of each haul-back line 4 opposite to that connected-to its crawler wagon is wound around a drum 11 provided therefor on a conventional drag line hoist 12. There are two drums 11 on the hoist 12, one for each line 4. The hoist 12 is supported on suitable skids 13 so that it may be moved along as the excavating progresses. However, in excavating any particular area, the

hoist 12 is anchored in position as indicated at 14. As will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2, the hoist 12 is located adjacent-the river edge of the borrow pit and the crane "T istlocated adjacent the land side of the levee s1 e.

Referring now particularly to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen that each crawler wagon 2 has a body including a bottom 15' and sides 16, the body being supported on a truck 17 equipped with endless flexible treads or self laying treads 18. One end of the body of the wagon is open but theother end thereof is normally closed by a sliding gate designated generally at 20. The gate 20 is suitably braced and reinforced as shown in the drawings and it has an enlarged base provided with rollers 21 which ride on the bottom 15 of the wagon body. If desired, cooperating guides may be provided between the sides of the wagon body and the sliding gates 20.

Beyond the sliding gate, the framing of the bottom of the wagon body is extended to provide a platform on which an 'operators seat 22 is mounted.

The present invention proposes to utilize the cables 3 and 4 to haul the wagons back the wagon may be held stationaryduring this discharging movement of the gate conventional brakes are provided for the flexible treads or belts 18. Normally, the belts or flexible treads 18 are free running butwhen both'brakes 25 have brakingengagement with the 'drums25, then the treads 18 are held against movement and conse- {18 quently' the wagon is held stationary. It is to be understood that the brake drums 25' are fixed to shafts 18v which in turn are keyed or otherwise fixed to s rocket wheels 19 intermeshed-with the lin of the flexible treads 5 so that when the drums 25 are held against movement held.

When neously they serve to hold the crawler wagon the flexible treads are likewise the brakes 25are operated simultaagainst movement to permit the cables 3 and 4 to move the sliding gate. In order that the brakes may also be utilized to steer the crawler wagons, individual or independent operating means is provided for each brake. Thus,

as shown in Figure 9, each brake 25 has one end anchored or dead-ended as at 26' 'on a bracket 26 and the opposite end of each brake has an attaching lug 27 pivoted" as at 27' to end of each brake operating lever is 46 spaced arms 28' of=a sleeve29, the sleeve being rotatably fitted on apin 29' carried by to-the' outer, end of acrank arm 32 fixed to one end of a shaft'33. The shafts 33 are journaled in bearings 33"provided therefor at the rear of the crawler wagon and these shafts, although independently rotatable, are alined. Each shaft 33 has an operating arm 34 fixed thereto and carrying a foot pedal 34'." The foot pedals 34 have ratchet bars 35 fixed thereto and cooperable in the usual way with keeper plates 35 fixed to the structure at [the rear of the crawler wagon. As shown in Figure 6, the foot pedals 34 are located within convenient reach of the operagaged.

tor and provide means whereby the brakes may be individually or simultaneously en- The haul-inlines 3 and haul-back lines 4 after being reeved in a novel -manner. on drums or pulleys provided on the wagon body are connected'to the sliding gate 20.

The reeving-of these lines 3 and 4 will be best'understood by comparing Figure 7 with Figures 5 and 6. As shown in Figure 7, the

haul-inline 3-is connected to an equalizer bar 36 and to the ends of bar 36, cables 37, 38, 39

and 40 are secured. The cables 38 and 40 are extended back and around vertical pulleys 41 and 42, thence-around lower horizontal pulleys 43 and 44 and from the pulleys 43 and 44 back to the gate 20 to which they are secured as indicated at 45. The cablesv 37 and 39 are extended from the bar 36 back to lower vertical pulleys 46 and 47, thence upwardly from these pulleys 46 and 47 to upper vertical pulleys 48 and 49, then around upper horiz'ontal ulleys 50 and 51-and back along the wagon dy to the gate to which they are connected as indicated at 52.

Each haul-back cable 4 is wound around a drum 55 fixed to a shaft 56 'ournaled in suitable bearings provided on t e frame of its wagon below the operators platform. On this same shaft 56 other drums designated at 57, 58,59 and 60 are also fixed and have cables 61, 62, 63 and 64 secured thereto, wound thereabout and connected to the sliding ate. The cables 61 and 63 extend directly rom their drums to the sliding gate but the cables 62 and 64 extend up over pulleys 65 and the gate.

. thence to the point of their connection with For the purpose of normally holding the shaft 56 against rotation, and thereby-maintaining the gate 20 a must movement the drum 55 has aflan e with which brake band 66 coacts, this bra e band being up lied or released by means of a hand lever 6 which may be latched in a conventional manner to a quadrant 68 and whichis connected by means of a crank arm 69, connecting rod 76 'to the brake operatin lever 71. If desired,

the shaft 56 may also ave a ratchet wheel 72 fixed thereto. Where the ratchet wheel is employed, a pawl 73 is mounted on the frame an may be engaged with or disengaged from the ratchet wheel by means of a suitable control rod 74 see Fi re 5). When the pawl 73 engages t e ratc et wheel 72 the shaft 56 is XOSltlVGlY locked against rotation.

previouslydescnbed, the haul-in lines 3 extend u over guide pulleys on the outer end'of the om 6 of the crane 7. This crane has the usual revolving platform 75 su orted ina' conventional manner on a trudlr 76 gqui ed with self laying tracks or endless exi end pivoted to the platform 75 and is vertically adjustable under the control of conventional hoisting tackle 78 actuated from one of the drums 79 on the revolving plat-.

form. While buildin up any particu r sec tion of the levee the om 6 is vertically ad justed from time to time as may be necessary or appropriate to the particular phase of the operation. As shown intFigure 3 an operators cab 80 is supported on the upper and outer end of the boom 6 and in this cab control levers 81 are provided and are connected by rods 82, bell crank levers 83 and rods e treads 77. The boom 6 has its lower v the controls on the revolving platform 7 5. In

this way the operator in the cab may control the action of the crane. In other words,

he may causethe platform to revolve, the boom to be raised and lowered, or the drums to be drivenand all this from the cab 80. As the cab 80 is supported at the outer and upper end of the boom the operator in the cab has full view of the entire system and may conveniently signal or receive signals from the operators on the crawler wagons, and on the hoist12.

The adjustable stifi' leg or spud 10 is made up of'a plurality of sections, such as sections-85, 86 and 87'telescoping one withinthe other, the lowersection being pivoted to a suitable mat or base 88 and the upper section being pivotally connected to the upper and outer end of the boom; While the sections 85, 86 and 87 are of progressively increasing size in order to permit of the telescoping of one into the other, they, are otherwise of identical construction and each includes a pair of channel side members 90 rigidly connected together and maintained in spaced relation cross braces 91. The channel side members slide one into the other.

The sections 86 and 87 are releasibly locked in any particular adjustment relative to each other by suitableimeans, such as spr ng pro} jected bolts 92 coacting with registerlng openings 93 of the sections. Similar bolts designated at 92 coact with openings 93 provided in the section 85 and adapted to regis,

ter with openings 93 of the section 86 for locking the sections 85 and 86 in any desired adjustinent. The bolts 92 and 92" are yieldably projected by meansofsprings 94 but are positively retracted or projected by means of;

toggle links 95 pivoted to each other and to the bolts and also pivoted'at their point of connection to each other to .oneend of a -re leasing plunger 96.- Eachplunger 96 has its other end appropriately connectedto an intermediate portion'of .an operating lever-97 and one end ofveach lever 97 is fulcrumed as loweredthe spudor stiff leg lO'may be ad justed as to length by retracting bolts 92 or 92 or botlrand then raising and lowering the booms as may befdesired, after which the ate amount the strut or spud 10 may be short-' ened and its weight carried by the boom without subjectingitspivotal connection to the boom to unduly heavy stress. In operation after one crawler wagon has been loaded by the excavator 1 the operator on the loaded wagon signals the operator in the cab 80 and the operator on the hoist 12, e The operator in the cab80 then starts up the appropriate drum 8 on the crane and the loaded wagon is hauled from its position adjacent the borrow pit back to the point on the levee site at which the dirt is to be deposited.

During its travel, each crawler wagon is steered by the operator riding thereon, the steering being accomplished by applying one or the other of the brakes 25, thus causing the wagon to veer to one side or the other of the line of pull of the cable 3 or 4 depending upon the direction in which thewagon is moving. This feature of having each wagon independently steered enables a single crane and a single hoist to act through haul-in plies both brakes 25 and releases the brake 65 and pawl 7 3 so that further hauling in of the line 3 will slide the gate 20 along the wagon body and positively discharge the dirtout throughthe open end of thewagon. .jAfter this hasbeen done the line 3 is permitted to pay out as the line 4 is hauled back so that the gate will be repositioned. Thereupon the brakes 25 are released and the brakes 63 and pawl 74 engaged or applied andthe line-4 wrapped around its drum to haul back the wagon to the excavator. =-Duringthis time the excavator has been engaged in leading the other crawler wagon so that continuous digging is eifected and at the same'time the earth as fastas it is excavated is transferred inta speedy and effective manner to the levee s1 e.

, The invention claimed is: V 1. system for building levees of the type lIlClllCllIlg an excavator for taking earth from a borrow pit an "comprising a plurality of mob le carriers, means forhauling the mobile carriers in from the borrow pit to the levee site and consisting of a haul-in line for each mobilecarrier, an excavator crane having high speed drums to which the haul-in lines are connected and having a boom over which the haul-in lines are guided, a leg supporting the upper and outer end of the boom from the ground and imparting stability to the crane, an operators cab carried by the upper and outer boom and having control levers connected to the. various instrumentalities of the crane, and means for hauling the mobile carriers back from the levee site to the borrow pit.

2. A system for building levees of the type including an excavator for taking earth from a borrow pit and comprising a plurality of mobile carriers, means for hauling the mobile carricrs in from the borrow pit to the levee site and consisting of a haul-in line for each mobile carrier, an excavator crane having high speed drums to which the haul-in lines are connected and having a boom over which the haul-in lines are guided, a leg supporting the upper and outer end of the boom from the ground and imparting stability to the crane. an operators cab carried by the upper and outer end of the boom and having control'levers connected to the various inst-rumentalities of the crane, a haul-back hoist having a plurality of drums, and haul-back lines controlled by the drums and connected to the mobile carriers for hauling the mobile carriers back from the levee site to the borrow pit.

I). An excavating system of the character described including a crawler wagon having a body and free running endless flexible treads supporting said body, said body having one end open and having a gate slidable longitudinally thereof and operable to close one end of the wagon and to traverse the body thereof to discharge the contents of the wagon through the open end of the latter, haul-back and haul-in lines connected to said sliding gate, means for reeling up and paying out said haul-back and said haul-in lines, releasable mcans for holding the sliding gate against movement and ineans for braking the endless flexible treads whereby the haul-back and haul-in lines may be selectively operated to move the carrier bodily or to move the sliding gate relative to th carrier.

4. An excavating system of the character described including a carrier having free running traction elements and having a movable gate operable when moved relative to the bodv to discharge the contents thereof, haulbacli and haul-iii lines connected to the movable gate. means for reeling up and paying 'out said lines, releasable means for holding the gate against movement and braking mechanism tor the traction elements whereby the lines may be selectively operated to move the carrier bodily or to dump the contents thereof.

5. An excavating system of the character described, comprising a mobile power excavator, a plurality of mobile carriers, hauling lines connected to the carriers, :1 haul-back hoist connected to certain of said lines, a crane connected to the remainder of said lines, means coacting with the boom of the crane to impart stability thereto. and an operators cab supported uponthe boom of the crane and having controls connected to the conventional controls of the crane in any adjustment of the boom.

6. An excavating system of the character described, including a mobile carrier, a hauling line connected to the carrier, a power crane having the usual revolving platform and boom and having a high speed drum mounted on the revolving platform, said boom having a guide over which the hauling line is extended, said hauling line being secured to and wrapped aroundthe said high speed drum, and means for imparting stability to the boom and crane and comprising a spud. made up of a plurality of sections releasably secured together in any of a plurality of adjustments, the upper section being connected to the boom, and a base connected to the lower section.

7. In a system of the character described, means for hauling a mobile carrier comprising a power crane, a hauling line actuated by the crane and connected to the carrier, said hauling line being extended over the boom of the crane, and means for imparting stability to the'boom and to the crane and consisting of a spud interposed between the boom and the ground and made up of a plurality of telescoped sections and releasable means for securing the sections in a plurality of adjustments.

8. In a system of the character described, means for hauling a mobile carrier comprising a power crane, a hauling line actuated by the crane and connected to the carrier, said hauling line being extended over the boom of the crane, and means for imparting stability to the boom and to the crane and consisting of a spud interposed between the boom and the ground and made up of a plurality of telescoped sections and releasable means for securing the sections in a plurality of adjustments, and including spring projected bolts, said sections having registered openings with which the bolts are adapted to co act, plunger operated toggles connected to said bolts, reversely positioned operating levers connected to said levers, and control lines connected to said levers.

9. An excavating system of the character described including a plurality of crawler wagons each having a body and a pair of free, running flexible treads supporting said body, individually operable braking mechanisms for each flexible tread whereby each crawler wagon may be independently steered, haulback and haul-in lines connected to said wagons, and means for reeling up and paying out said haul-back and said haul-in lines.

10. An excavating system of the character described including a plurality of crawler wagons each having a body and a pair of free running flexible treads supporting said body, individually operable braking mechanisms for each flexible tread whereby each crawler wagon may be independently steered, l1aul back and haul-in lines connected to said wagons, a power crane connected to said haul-in lines and a haul-back hoist connected to the haul-back lines.

11. An excavating. system of the character described includinga crawler wagon, having a body and free running endless flexible' =on' said wagon body around which the branches of the haul-in line are trained, a haul-back line, a shaft mounted at the rear of the body and havinga drum about which the haul-back 1 line is wound, other drums controlled by said shaft and connected to the rearward side of the sliding gate, releasable holding means for said shaft, and braking means for the endless flexible treads, whereby the haul-back and haul-in lines may be selectively operated to move the carrier bodily or to move the sliding gate relative to the carrier.

In witness whereof, I hereto aflix my signature.

' GW'YNN L. L ILL ARD. 

